Influence of ionic disturbances produced by gastric washing on cortical spreading depression

Summary The ionic composition of the internal environment was altered in rabbits by means of gastric washing, combined with intramuscular administration of 3-Beta-aminoethylpyrazole. The effects of this treatment on cortical spreading depression (SD) were studied. C1^- and Na⁺ concentrations decreased significantly in serum and in cerebrospinal fluid after the treatment. This made the animals much more susceptible to SD, as established by the high incidence of spontaneous SD, increased SD velocity of propagation and facilitated its interhemispheric transfer. An intensification of the epileptiform activity associated with SD was also observed. Intravenous replacement of NaCl abolished the above effects on SD. When the intravenous replacement was done with Na-Isethionate, those effects were enhanced. It is concluded that chloride deficiency was the main factor responsible for the observed facilitating effects.This work was supported by grants from the BNDE (FUNTEC-74 e 143), CNP_q and CAPES     

T cell subpopulations in myocardial inflammatory infiltrates detected by confocal microscopy: dose dependence in mice treated with cyclophosphamide during acute Trypanosoma cruzi infection

In this article, we have characterized cell subpopulations found in the hearts of mice presenting acute Chagas' disease by immunocytochemistry and subjected to different schedules of an immunosuppressive therapy with cyclophosphamide (CY). In this comparative study, CY treatment with different doses was carried out before or after infection with Trypanosoma cruzi Y strain trypomastigotes, enabling us to discriminate the parasitemic kinetics and inflammatory processes in the heart, 12 d after infection. Animals treated with 200 mg/kg of CY 2 d before infection presented high parasitaemia as well as heavy inflammation and low parasite loads in the heart. Mice treated 5 d after infection with the same dose, developed the same parasitaemic peak but were not able to control it. Their heart did not present inflammation, but a high number of parasites could be seen. Animals treated with five 3 mg/kg doses of CY every other day presented heavy inflammatory reaction and low parasitaemia. In this group, as well as the one treated before infection, immunocytochemistry studies have shown predominance of CD8(+) T cells in the myocardium. On the other hand, mice treated with 200 mg/kg of CY 5 d after infection, presented small amounts of CD4(+) T cells while no CD8(+) could be found. These results have confirmed the dose dependence influence of this drug on the T cell populations in the inflammatory infiltrates as well as the importance of the schedule employed.     

Cytogenetic analysis of 100 consecutive newly diagnosed cases of acute lymphoblastic leukemia in Rio de Janeiro

We report the cytogenetic analysis of newly diagnosed Brazilian children with acute lymphocytic leukemia (ALL). We investigated 100 ALL cases from four different institutions in Rio de Janeiro. The frequency of chromosomal abnormalities was 92.3%. The karyotype profile and recurrent abnormalities found in this study do not differ essentially from those described by other groups. Although the Brazilian population is usually the product of different ethnic groups, our results show that the frequency of each recurrent abnormality is similar to that found in populations without our degree of diverse ethnic composition. Hence, our results suggest that childhood ALL in Brazil has the same biological features as that in developed countries, supporting the use of similar treatment protocols. We can therefore expect to reach the same survival rates in the coming years, depending possibly on the efficacy of the support therapy and extent of social assistance.     

Bone marrow transplantation for diamond-blackfan anemia.

Patients with Diamond-Blackfan anemia (DBA) who are unresponsive to or intolerant of corticosteroids, experience treatment failure with other treatments, develop additional cytopenias or clonal disease, or opt for curative therapy are often treated with allogeneic bone marrow transplantation. We studied the transplantation outcomes of 61 DBA patients whose data were reported to the International Bone Marrow Transplant Registry between 1984 and 2000. The median age was 7 years (range, 1-32 years). Among 55 patients with available transfusion information, 35 (64%) had received > or =20 units of blood before transplantation. Most patients (67%) received their bone marrow grafts from an HLA-matched related donor. The median time to neutrophil recovery was 17 days (range, 10-119 days) and to platelet recovery was 23 days (range, 9-119 days). Five patients did not achieve neutrophil engraftment. The 100-day mortality was 18% (95% confidence interval, 10%-29%). Grade II to IV acute graft-versus-host disease occurred in 28% (range, 17%-39%) and chronic graft-versus-host disease in 26% (range, 15%-39%). The 3-year probability of overall survival was 64% (range, 50%-74%). In univariate analysis, a Karnofsky score > or =90 and transplantation from an HLA-identical sibling donor were associated with better survival. These data suggest that allogeneic bone marrow transplantation is effective for the treatment of DBA. Transplantation before deterioration of the performance status and from an HLA-identical sibling donor may improve survival.     

Notes on parasitism by Amblyomma humerale (Acari: Ixodidae) in the state of Rondônia,western Amazon,Brazil

The tick Amblyomma humerale Koch is endemic to South America. All host records refer to the adult stage parasitizing tortoises, mostly yellow-footed tortoise, Geochelone denticulata (L.), and red-footed tortoise, Geochelone carbonaria (Spix). The current study reports the presence of A. humerale in the state of Rond?nia, Brazil. A total of 215 adult ticks (201 males, 14 females) was collected from six G denticulata in an Indian reserve and nine Geochelone sp. in rural Monte Negro County, giving an overall mean infestation of 14.3 +/- 12.0 (range: 2-44) ticks per tortoise. Male ticks always outnumbered females on the host and nine tortoises had only male ticks. Male ticks were mostly attached in clusters on the ventral sides of the carapace near the anterior and posterior margins, and more rarely on the outer margin of the plastron. All females were found attached to the tortoise skin, at different sites such as head, neck, shoulders or legs. Male ticks were rarely observed attached to the body skin. Seven engorged nymphs collected on small vertebrates from Monte Negro County molted to adults of A. humerale. This included one nymph each on the seven-colored lizard, Plica plica (L), green tree climber, Plica umbra (L.), and wide-foraging lizard, Kentropyx calcarata Spix,three nymphs on the common opossum, Didelphis marsupialis L., and one nymph on the silky anteater, Cyclopes didactylus L. These constitute the first host records for the immature stages of the tick A. humerale.     

Translocation (11;11)(p13- p15;q23) in a child with therapy-related acute myeloid leukemia following chemotherapy with DNA-topoisomerase II inhibitors for Langerhans cell histiocytosis

We report a new case of therapy-related acute myeloid leukemia in a child with Langerhans cell histiocytosis. This patient was previously treated with a protocol of multidrug chemotherapy, containing a relatively low dose of etoposide (total dose of 900/m(2)). Twenty-six months after the end of the therapy, the patient returned to the hospital with fever and anemia. The white blood cell count was 53 x 10(9)/L. The bone marrow examination showed massive infiltration with French-American-British acute myeloid leukemia classification M4 blast cells. The patient did not respond to an intensive treatment with high dose ARA-C and idarubicin. He died 6 months later. The cytogenetic abnormality of the blast cells was a t(11;11)(p13 -15;q23), that has not been described before in a secondary leukemia case.